Following what the labor unions labeled as the “failure” of the government to successfully implement policies to allay Nigerians’ sufferings as a result of the removal of the subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit, Platinum Times exclusively learned that the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have decided to halt operations nationwide as of October 3, 2023.
Joe Ajaero, the national president of the NLC, informed the members of the NEC during a virtual meeting of the National Executive Council on Zoom on Tuesday that a meeting had been held with TUC representatives to discuss next steps.
Ajaero stated that it was decided that the two centers should collaborate in order to communicate their position to the administration.
According to a source who attended the conference, some NLC members at first opposed the organization’s decision to collaborate with the TUC.
“At first, several members opposed working with the TUC, but at this point, there is no other option.
Government has not taken any initiative. Therefore, this time, it will be a firm action.
The NLC’s 21-day deadline expired last week. Joe Ajaero, the NLC’s national president, has expressed dissatisfaction that “none of the demands put before the Federal Government had been addressed.”
In preparation for the longer strike later in the month, the union first staged a two-day nationwide warning strike on September 5 and 6.
The NLC and the TUC are requesting, among other things, salary increases, the introduction of palliatives, tax breaks and allowances for public sector employees, and a review of the minimum wage.
On June 19, President Bola Tinubu established the Presidential Steering Committee and many subcommittees to study the framework that would be used for the adoption of palliatives.
The eight-week window designated for the process’ completion lapsed in August without any progress being done, despite the FG’s pledge to reorganize the framework for dialogue with organized Labor on palliatives.
The committees were given eight weeks to complete their task and hasten the implementation of the framework to mitigate the effects of the removal of the petroleum subsidy on Nigerians. However, weeks after the allotted time had passed, the subcommittees still hadn’t met or carried out their assigned tasks, frustrating the NLC and TUC leadership.